It's September - NFL started again!!! And the annual discussion/debate... ;) PICK A TEAM, KAT!!!

Soooo... NFL Season has kicked off ... and with the girls getting more and more into the sport my interest to actually WATCH games is coming back, too (I was in a "meh" state since the girls were born in 2011).

Queue the annual question/discussion/debate...

Usually starts with me telling people I like (American) Football and have been into the sport since 1991 (when the Frankfurt Galaxy was formed to play in the WLAF (later NFLE))...

Depending on the crowd, I get positive reactions, a blank look or very big enthusiasm. I also got the "that's just Rugby for pussies" (excuse my French), but that is rarely the case, due to the people I surround myself with.

From the "positive reaction" to "very big enthusiasm" groups usually comes the question:"What NFL team do you support?"

And that's where it gets a bit weird... because my answer so far will be ...

"I don't support a team (yet)!"

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After that tumbleweed moment I get replies like "Surely you MUST support a team!" "How can you be into Football and not support a team?!" etc. 

And then I have to explain... The rule for non-Americans to pick the team of the city or closest to the city you first set foot on US soil would mean I'd have to support the (Chicago) Bears. Ok... I didn't WANT to support the Bears, although I really liked their old stadium. ;) 

I COULD have gone with the team closest in colours to the Frankfurt Galaxy, given the Galaxy was my first Football team I supported for quite some time, before I moved to Scotland and my then first team  (for equal (?) number of seasons) I supported fiercely were the Scottish Claymores with the Galaxy second.  For that reason it would have been the Minnesota Vikings (that would have been the 3rd US city I visited which has an NFL team). Again... I couldn't get into it.

My third option would have been going for the "Underdog" at that time, like the Claymores were the Underdogs of the NFLE for quite some time... soo... I thought I "could" have supported the (Cleveland) Browns. 

But I didn't.

Instead I supported players ... players I knew from the NFLE which had a link to either the Galaxy or the Claymores. Which, in my case, were the following players/coaches: 

Damon Huard (Galaxy QB, Dolphins, Patriots - not "allowed" to support - , Chiefs, 49ers - retired)

Dante Hall (Scottish Claymores WR, Chiefs, Rams - retired)

Then we had the exception of the rules (Galaxy & Claymores players only) - we met him in person, became with his aunt and met his parents, too.... and he shares my surname... ;) 

Rob Adamson (Cologne Centurions QB, Panthers, 49ers, but didn't play for either)

And in 2015 I supported a team based on their then headcoach... :) 

Jim Tomsula (Claymores Defensive Line Coach, 49ers)

Given age range I don't think there are many NFLE players still playing in the NFL which had connections to either the Frankfurt Galaxy or the Scottish Claymores. 

Equals PICKLE! ;) 

This year I'll probably get heckled even more to finally pick a team, given that my SuperTwins (at age 5) have already picked their NFL teams ... even if for interesting reasons... ;) Miss Martian supports the Miami Dolphins ("I like Dolphins, and it's Daddy's team!"), while Supergirl picked the Minnesota Vikings ("I like purple!"). 

We've thought that I might have to pick the Vikings, given that they have a German on their team, Moritz Böhringer, who has NOT been cut, they keep him on the practice squad!!  Brings me back to the "colour scheme" option again. ;) 

Well, we will see... 

Obviously we have some of the 32 teams I am not allowed to pick... because of hubby's dislikes of certain teams or deep rivalries of his team (Miami Dolphins) with certain teams. 

So ... in hubby's eyes that DEFINITELY rules out: Patriots, Jets & Cowboys. 

Hubby's reason for supporting the Miami Dolphins is the age old "First team I saw a live game" ... the rule of "First city I set foot on US soil" could have also been Tampa Bay Buccaneers really - first city being Orlando for him. Or did he land in Newark for a stop over before flying to Orlando?!?!

Mmmmh... we'll see... maybe I'll pick a team this season... ;) 

Fortunately my situation doesn't keep me from doing fairly well in NFL Fantasy Football leagues .... :D 

Looks like I will win yet again the annual "household" grudge match... Sorry, Doug ... I'm not sorry!! :D